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Distribute Accessible Documents

Now that you have an accessible document, you can distribute it to your readers. Even though you’ve taken care to ensure it’s accessible, depending on the type of content in your document there may still be barriers for users.

For example, users with disabilities may require additional tools or technology to fully access, navigate, and read the content. Users on mobile devices may not have the same reading experience as users on desktops.

For these reasons, and to create a more equitable reading experience for all users, we recommend creating an accessible web alternative version as well.

Shifting from Print to Digital

In the video Shifting from Print to Digital, you’ll learn five steps to create more accessible digital content using the tips in this guide and Boise State’s WordPress theme.

Access video transcript and more tips
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Play Shifting from Print to Digital

Clear Formatting then Copy + Paste

One way to quickly create a web version of your content is to clear the formatting from your document (or first create a copy of your document before you clear formatting) then paste your content into you WordPress.

Clearing the formatting before you copy ensures that no additional styling comes over with your content. Then you can use the styles available in WordPress to add similar style tags to your content.

You can include a link to your accessible document as well to give your readers the option to view in that format.

Additional benefits of having a web version of your content is that it’s easier for Search Engines to index and find your content and you can more easily share the web version on social media or in an email.

Other options to publish web content

In addition to using WordPress, there are other options available for publishing more accessible document content for your readers, particularly if you are sharing a document from a Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides.

Make Google Docs, Sheets, Slides Public

Google provides a way for your to publish your content to the web in a more accessible web version than a “view only” file.

When to use?

This option is a good choice when you are sharing resources with an internal audience, such as a job aid for a work-related process.

We don’t recommend using this option to replace content that should be published on WordPress. For example, content that is for the public or students.

How to publish to web?

After performing accessibility checks on your Google docs, sheets, and slides using the Grackle Extension, you can select File, Share then Publish to the Web to create a unique link to share a web version of your doc, sheet, or slides with your users.

Examples

Review the two examples and compare the difference of a view only Google Doc file versus the same version that is published to the web.

View Only Google Doc: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines Publish to Web: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

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